2011 Rhone
2011 has yielded a larger, more normal harvest and a set of wines which will not fail to please. In point of fact they are closer in style to 2006 than 2008, having more energy and equilibrium than the latter. Stéphane Ogier describes the vintage as ‘gourmande’, ‘digeste’ and ‘séduisant’.
Vintage Assessment Northern Rhône
Michel Chapoutier is not alone in detecting similarities between 2011 and 1991. Both followed a brace of superlative vintages and both had rather uneven growing seasons, unusual even. Indeed 1991 took rather a long time to achieve its due recognition; hopefully the same will not apply to 2011, for all the sound and fury associated with its immediate forebears.
The vintage, in a nutshell, was hot, then cold, then hot again, a meteorological sandwich which defied normal weather patterns to the point of near inversion. Temperatures normally associated with July were experienced in both March and September, and vice versa. The early and admittedly highly satisfactory flowering presaged predictions of a very early harvest and ignited concern about an inherent imbalance between polyphenolic and physiological ripeness, but no sooner had the lacklustre mid-summer dispelled this fear, than anxiety focused on the dangers of rot, mildew (oidium) and other such disagreeable phenomena.
So there was triage and so there were treatments and then, recalling 2002 perhaps, there was abundant rainfall in the first week of September – abundant, but not torrential, and not especially long in duration. Thereafter followed a long anti-cyclonic period and the warm weather described above. It was warm enough, certainly, to exile any vestigial threats of disease and to ensure that the grapes ripened properly. It was ripe, certainly, but not too ripe; the cooler midsummer nights have added definition and pleasing freshness to the white wines.
Harvest dates were generally fairly ‘normal’, if such a word still has currency, and most of the fruit had been successfully picked by the end of the second week of September. Careful selection was required to undermine the vagaries of the uneven ripening, but the final crop was of a respectable size and the resultant grape juice achieved impressive analytical levels, careless of the season’s challenges.
Vintage Assessment Southern Rhône
The South does not recall 1991 with quite as much nostalgia as the North, so we shall restrict anecdotal comparisons to more recent vintages, although no-one seemed to agree on a specific vintage to highlight. The most nominated candidates were, in order: 2006, 1999, 2001 and 2004. To complicate the issue yet further, for Vincent Avril the wines have the tannins of the rather plush 2009 and the elegance of the underrated 2008 – therefore the best features of both.
Comparisons are perhaps odious after all, especially after such a heterogeneous and unpredictable season. Following pretty much the same weather patterns as further up-stream, 2011 started with a very hot and dry spring (the subsequent rainfall in July entirely beneficial) with any potential damage immediately banished by the Mistral wind.
It was only hereafter, when one has every right to expect decent weather, that things became more complicated. Indeed, it was the combination of further uninspiring conditions at the beginning of August and exceptionally warm conditions towards the end of that month, which engendered confusion and resulted in a rather uneven ripening. The late-season grapes such as Mourvèdre and Counoise tended to out-perform the earlier ripening varieties such as Syrah and Cinsault (some of which were shocked into a shut-down phase when the unexpected heat returned and did not have sufficient time to recover properly).
Grenache, after the blight of coulure in 2010, fared well. As a result, it makes up a larger percentage of the blends once again, triggering, as always, the seemingly circular debates about excessive alcohol levels and over-ripe wines. One cannot have it both ways; these wines have delightful, charming, sweet fruit and supple, approachable tannins. More quantity, less tannin; more approachable, less alcohol. These wines may be less immediately seductive to those for whom concentration is all but are certainly more attractive for the rest of us. In short, they are a pure delight.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Buyer
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Bottle
£37.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 5cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Now respected as one of St Joseph’s top three growers, the naturally diffident Jérôme has acquired new confidence, and the wines return the compliment. The pedigree of their birth, that is to say the best, most precipitous, site in St Jean de Muzols, Tournon and Mauves, is now underlined by a suitably prestigious education, which is far from sentimental. For Jérôme, 2010 captures the best of 2006 and 2007, both of which have grown up very nicely indeed.
Bottle
£39.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 22cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Now respected as one of St Joseph’s top three growers, the naturally diffident Jérôme has acquired new confidence, and the wines return the compliment. The pedigree of their birth, that is to say the best, most precipitous, site in St Jean de Muzols, Tournon and Mauves, is now underlined by a suitably prestigious education, which is far from sentimental. For Jérôme, 2010 captures the best of 2006 and 2007, both of which have grown up very nicely indeed.
Bottle
£42.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 3cs
In top years, such as this, when Rose Pourpre is made, the generic Côte-Rôtie tends to come from vineyards of a more Blonde persuasion, its 10 percent Viognier lending high-toned aromatic harmony to the ensemble. The palate is creamy and rich, with ripe raspberry and cassis, and its style is modern but seductive.
Until 31st August 2017 this product is discounted by 27%. Prices shown include discount; no further discount will be applied at checkout.
Bottle
£45.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
The juxtaposition of old concrete fermentation tanks and new maturation barriques, underlines the Delorme philosophy and its apparently contradictory approach to intervention. Be that as it may, it certainly seems to work. The 2011 is a dense, powerfully authoritative wine, with ripeness and quality seeping out of its every pore. Its texture is informed, but not dominated by the oak, and both major and minor keys are evidenced in the integration of the tannins.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Christophe and Fabrice Delorme did not take long to project this fine estate, named somewhat poetically after a woodcock, into the first division. Based in Tavel, theoretically rather unhelpfully as most activity takes place over on the other side of the Rhône river, the brothers make, as one would expect, delicious Rosé wine in addition to a very fine Lirac and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape which combines the best virtues of modernity and tradition. 2011 was especially successful for them; they attribute the high natural sugar levels to biodynamic viticulture.
Bottle
£45.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 3cs
A parcel of 40-year-old Syrah, much loved by Michel Ferraton, the Dionnières is an expressive and finely constructed wine. Its inherent complexity is evidenced in youth by notes of liquorice, dried fruits and black cherry whilst its potential for development is writ large in the weight of the fruit and the power of the tannins. In short, this is a benchmark Hermitage, dense but not overweight, and thus perfectly suited for mid-term ageing.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Ferraton is owned by Chapoutier, but run as an autonomous entity. For a long time it seemed to underperform, almost as if shocked in the headlights of the energetic charisma of its benefactor. The potential of the vineyards, some of which are located on the very best sites on the Hill of Hermitage, has never been disputed. Now, with Bordelais winemaker Damien Brisset firmly in control, one begins to see, at last, the realisation of potential. I am pleased to have ‘stuck with’ them over the years, as the maturing vintages seldom fail to please and the quality of the current vintage gets better and better.
Bottle
£52.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 17cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Energetic, dynamic and likeable, Yves Cuilleron is seen as the most influential and, at times, the most outspoken of the Northern Rhône producers. The completely rebuilt winery at Chavanay is testament to both his success and ambition; Yves’ skill lies in disseminating the minutiae of terroir (now, in my view, with even better results as the use of new wood has been relaxed a little). ‘Tendu’ seemed to be his most popular adjective used to describe the 2011s: ‘tight-knit, nervous, and with potential’ is my rather prosaic and, in all probability, not entirely accurate translation, a little close to a personification perhaps.
Bottle
£60.00
The grapes for this rare wine are sourced exclusively in the famous Côte Brune commune of Les Rosiers. It is perfectly complementary to the generic example, more powerful and masculine, with savoury notes and even a hint of balsam. This will have matured for 18 months in new oak barrels.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Pierre describes 2011 as complicated, ironically as a result of the warm spring, which advanced the cycle so much that it set things out of kilter for the more normal temperatures at other times during the season. Nonetheless, he is satisfied with the results. He detects equilibrium, a ‘Golden Mean’ perhaps, which happily combines elegance and power, its higher acidity making these wines very food-friendly.
Bottle
£85.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 8cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Bottle
£106.00
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
The loquacious Didier Negron recognises that Grenache was plentiful in 2011, unlike the coulure-blighted 2010, but that it had to be treated with care. The juxtaposition of an impressive early flowering and a cool but dry mid-season has engendered a heterogeneous crop, rather like 2007, but in a minor key. Didier’s clever manipulation of differing sizes of container in order to undermine the oxidative nature of Grenache, has ensured the purity and definition of his wines. He is proving a most worthy successor to the great Jean-Jacques Sabon, his father-in-law, who died last year.
Bottle
£140.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 3cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
These wines sit at the very pinnacle of perfection; year in year out they are applauded as the best in the Rhône Valley. They therefore need no further introductory superlatives from me, merely the tedious reminder that they are very scarce and, needless to say, very much in demand. We only have small volumes of the wines featured below, so I would encourage you to place any orders for these as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Bottle
£225.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 4cs
Magnum 3 x 150cl 2cs
Tasting from foudre is instructive, as Vincent shows four separate examples with only the fourth vat resembling the final blend. The other three, with greater proportions of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, are all superb, needless to say, but the alchemy of the fourth definitive blend is an astonishing illustration of the master blender’s art.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Sabon is a familiar name in the Southern Rhône, a little like Marguet in Champagne or Lurton in Bordeaux. Beyond the complicated Napoleonic dynastic maze, there are some excellent vignerons, few more so than siblings Christophe and Isabelle, who farm 20 hectares centred in the Courthzon commune. Fairly traditional winemaking and a pleasingly unassuming manner have not prevented their particular branch of the family from some of the greatest plaudits of all.
Bottle 3 x 75cl 1cs
James Molesworth - Wine Spectator, 15th November 2015
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
D. Magnum 1 x 300cl 1cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Clape, Michel, Juge, Voge… There is a hypnotic monosyllabic magic to some of the great names of Cornas in days of yore and both Voge and Clape continue to fly the flag and do so with great aplomb. Fiercely traditional and yet disarmingly modern, these wines provide the key to the reputation of the Cornas that was and the outstanding quality of the Cornas that is now.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager
The usual palette of grapes has been employed here, to a greater or lesser extent, with perhaps a little more Grenache than in 2010 and increased emphasis placed on some of the fashionable underlings such as Vaccerese and Counoise. Mourvèdre is important as always, making up over 30% and contributing savoury somewhat sauvage notes to complement the ripe black fruit core. The finish has a distinctly sweet feel to it this year, with an almost Burgundian elegance allied to a whisper of aniseed and eucalypt.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Ch. de Beaucastel’s 200 hectare estate is farmed organically, its other calling cards being the rather controversial vinification à chaud at the start of fermentation and the less contentious use of all 13 of the permitted grape varieties, albeit in somewhat differing volumes. Marc Perrin compares the 2011 with 2000; both were quick off the blocks and finished with an Indian flourish; both were somewhat lacklustre mid-season, which delayed or at least slowed down the growing cycle. Both, he concludes, have produced significantly above average wines. We see no reason to disagree with him.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Tom Cave - Cellar Plan Manager
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate #209 - Oct 2013
Bottle 3 x 75cl 3cs
Bottle 3 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 3 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 3 x 75cl 2cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
These wines sit at the very pinnacle of perfection; year in year out they are applauded as the best in the Rhône Valley. They therefore need no further introductory superlatives from me, merely the tedious reminder that they are very scarce and, needless to say, very much in demand. We only have small volumes of the wines featured below, so I would encourage you to place any orders for these as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
These wines sit at the very pinnacle of perfection; year in year out they are applauded as the best in the Rhône Valley. They therefore need no further introductory superlatives from me, merely the tedious reminder that they are very scarce and, needless to say, very much in demand. We only have small volumes of the wines featured below, so I would encourage you to place any orders for these as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
These wines sit at the very pinnacle of perfection; year in year out they are applauded as the best in the Rhône Valley. They therefore need no further introductory superlatives from me, merely the tedious reminder that they are very scarce and, needless to say, very much in demand. We only have small volumes of the wines featured below, so I would encourage you to place any orders for these as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Marie Giraud had deserved the recent flood of plaudits from the great and the good, including one rather influential commentator. With initial guidance from another larger than life character, oenologist Philippe Cambie, she has adopted a biodynamic approach across 18 hectares of vines, most of which are located to the east of the commune. In the early days I was anxious that extraction was concealing fruit quality; this is no longer the case.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Marie Giraud had deserved the recent flood of plaudits from the great and the good, including one rather influential commentator. With initial guidance from another larger than life character, oenologist Philippe Cambie, she has adopted a biodynamic approach across 18 hectares of vines, most of which are located to the east of the commune. In the early days I was anxious that extraction was concealing fruit quality; this is no longer the case.
Laura Atkinson, Private Account Manager
All six white varieties are given pretty much equal billing here (Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Picardin, Bourboulenc, Roussanne and Picpoul, as if you didn’t know). The white goes through three distinct ages; from almost tropical hazelnut and pineapple favours of youth, to Riesling almond essence fascination after seven years and then finally, later on, to the calm wisdom begat of honey, flint and remembrance of times past.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
A variety of pleasing coincidences allowed me to taste chez Vincent Avril no fewer than three times in 2012, a huge, rare privilege and proof, were proof needed, of his dedication and thoughtful approach to vinification. He compares 2011 to 2001, but also senses that it has 2/3 of the character of 2009 and 1/3 of 2008. His love of Mourvèdre over Syrah is cleverly illustrated and his anxiety at the fact that over 70% of the village’s crop is sold en vrac perhaps explains that in order to make wine as superlative as this, one has to farm at a parsimonious 18 hl/hr.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager
A specific and presumably undisclosed parcel with distinctive blue marl soil is the source of the top Montirius wine. Dense and yet light on its feet; austere and yet fantastically ripe, this wine weaves a glorious web of paradox and complexity. Garrigue, ripe plum, spice and gentle salinity are all pleasingly entwined.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
With 22 years of biodynamic viticulture behind them Christine and Eric Saurel have long been in the vanguard of a philosophy which does not tolerate half measures. Their commitment and sometimes near-religious sense of vocation is well served by 80 hectares stretched across the pleasingly named Plateau de Garrigues, all in the shadow of the equally evocative Dentelles de Montmirail. The fact that daughter Justine has just spent a year making wine in New Zealand is indicative not only of an evangelical approach but also of a pleasing receptiveness to ideas and innovation, not that much of either are actually required here.
Tom Cave, Cellar Plan Manager
From the named lieu-dit to the north of the named village, this is a worthy illustration of both the skill of the winemaker and the renaissance of Cornas in general. Herbal and rich, with hints of jambon cru and liqueur-steeped cherry, Les Eygats marries sweet and savoury, Carnival and Lent, with effortless aplomb.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Ferraton is owned by Chapoutier, but run as an autonomous entity. For a long time it seemed to underperform, almost as if shocked in the headlights of the energetic charisma of its benefactor. The potential of the vineyards, some of which are located on the very best sites on the Hill of Hermitage, has never been disputed. Now, with Bordelais winemaker Damien Brisset firmly in control, one begins to see, at last, the realisation of potential. I am pleased to have ‘stuck with’ them over the years, as the maturing vintages seldom fail to please and the quality of the current vintage gets better and better.